Brush fire rages at Mission Trails campground

SAN DIEGO -- A brush fire raged through heavy brush and trees Tuesday night at Mission Trails Regional Park on the eastern edge of San Diego.

The fire broke out in the Kumeyaay Lake Campground north of Father Junipero Serra Trail and Bushy Hills Drive .

The flames consumed about an acre heavy dry brush in the middle of the campground surrounding Hollins Lake.

Firefighters told FOX 5 they had to use the San Diego police helicopter ABLE just to see where the fire was burning.

"It was all access just trying to get our rigs out there, trying to get our firefighter personnel out there. We had to do a lot of what was called progressive hose laying, where you lay the hose in several levels," explained Deputy Chief Steven Lozano, San Diego Fire and Rescue Department.

Lozano said crews had to trudge through mud and muck just to get to the lake, which took them about an hour to get the flames under control.

“On that video, it was pretty big," said Courtney Pongracz, a Santee resident.

Pongracz wanted to see the fire firsthand. While the fire only burned a half-acre, she said it still hits too close to home.

“I’ve had a situation where my family had to evacuate from an area," said Pongracz. "It kind of does make me sad just because there is a lot of area dry area in there and if something does get a lot bigger there are houses over here as well."

Lozano said no structures were threatened and the campground was not evacuated. It is not yet known what caused the fire.